NYC Expands Green Fleet with 70 New Electric Police Vehicles

New York City will be adding 70 electric vehicles to its green fleet of police vehicles as a part of an initiative to reduce the city’s carbon footprint. The city already has 360 electric vehicles currently being used by police. NYC has also launched new efforts to inform the public about the benefits of electric vehicles such as reduced fuel costs and less vehicle emissions. The new vehicles include 50 Chevrolet Volts, ten Ford Transit Connect electric cargo vans, and ten electric Navistar E-Star utility trucks.

“This is the latest and largest-ever addition of electric vehicles to the city’s fleet, which is already the largest municipal clean-air vehicle fleet in the nation,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “We will continue to lead by example, but we also must provide New Yorkers with tools to make environmentally friendly choices in their own lives. When provided with the facts, people become far more likely to choose an electric vehicle. Our job is to ensure the public has the facts, ensure they can make their own decisions and ensure that if they want to drive an electric vehicle, we are providing the infrastructure needed. It’s all part of our PlaNYC agenda to create a greener, greater New York City.”

Bloomberg noted that a study conducted by McKinsey & Company for New York City showed a lack of information and educational resources on electric vehicles and that only 30 percent of New Yorkers are knowledgeable about electric vehicle benefits and limitations. However, 21 percent of consumers were more likely to purchase an electric vehicle after being better educated about them, the study found.

The Bloomberg administration is also working to add more electric vehicles to the city’s fleet of over 13,000 yellow taxis, with the help of pilot program in place with Nissan.

The city’s electric vehicle program is made possible through a partnership with the New York State Power Authority and funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation, both of which helped fund a portion of the cost difference between an electric and gas-powered vehicle. The U.S. Department of Energy has provided a grant to charger manufacture Coulomb to provide public charging stations throughout the city.